Mike McCready talks new Pearl Jam album Lightning Bolt

"Fans are going to love it"

Mike McCready has spoken to Total Guitar about the recording of the band's forthcoming album Lightning Bolt, and it sounds like it was worth the wait.

The band have just announced their return with the song Mind Your Manners, the first taste of Lightning Bolt, which is due out on 14 October. Hear it here:

"If you're a Pearl Jam fan you're going to love it," says a proud Mike of the album, "and even if you're not, maybe it'll turn you into one!"

Mike explained that the writing process for the album before recording began with longtime friend and producer Brendan O'Brien was a drawn-out affair even by the Seattle legends' standards.

"We started it two years ago," says Mike, "then we had to pull back. We finished seven songs two years ago and we had to take some time to figure out what we wanted to do. And write some more songs. So about four months ago we started up again with a brand new batch of songs to go along with those.

"I think getting away from them and taking the time to do it, and discussing with Brendan O'Brien who is producing it, having many meetings between ourselves about these things, yet keeping it fresh while we were recording it."

And the guitarist believes that taking their time has definitely paid off.

"I think it's helped. I think it's going to be really cool record and I'm very excited about it. Every artist says that about their new thing but I feel like we've been through a long journey to get there and it was totally worth it."

For more on Mike McCready read the full feature on his role in supergroup Mad Season in issue 243 of Total Guitar.